


we're alive (so breathe)

by confettics



Category: Pocket Monsters SPECIAL | Pokemon Adventures
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, kanto and hoenn dexholders show up briefly but im not going to tag them, set right after emerald arc, this is so cheesy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 11:56:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19887325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/confettics/pseuds/confettics
Summary: After the Guile Hideout Incident, they're alive, and that's all that matters.





	we're alive (so breathe)

**Author's Note:**

> ok so this takes place maybe an hour or so after the impromptu tournament at the end of the emerald arc?? i forgot that was a thing while i was writing this so if it fits in weird with canon that's why

It's only until the calm after the storm that they finally get a chance to talk. 

All the others are off sight seeing or relaxing inside their hotel rooms, and Crystal finally musters up the courage to tell Gold, in no uncertain terms, that they need to talk. He hears the seriousness in her tone, as evidenced by how he reluctantly peels himself away from his PokeGear and follows her out of the hotel and just across the street to a spot overlooking the huge Hoenn ocean. 

"Hey, Super Serious Gal," he says like he always does, with that cocky, self-assured smile of his, but now that the adrenaline has faded, he looks tired. They all are, but they have it the worst, after months of training leading up to the day they could set their seniors free; Crys would give anything to be able to flop into bed right that second. But she has things she wants - _needs -_ to say, and she wouldn't be surprised if he does too. The last few months have been - stressful. Crazy. A whirlwind of planning and stressing and grieving. There are a dozen words she can use to describe the rollercoaster they've been, from being called to Oak's lab the first time and then to Hoenn to save both their juniors and their seniors. 

"We need to talk," she says, and he looks at her oddly for a few seconds. 

"You already said that."

"I know." She breathes and steels herself. "It's about that dumb stunt you pulled earlier with Mantaro and Emerald."

His smile fades. They both know what she's talking about - when they'd split up, Crys to teach Ruby and Sapphire the ultimate moves, and he'd stayed with Emerald to make the wish - after it'd become clear that Jirachi wouldn't listen to Emerald, at least not then, Gold had told Emerald to join the others and gotten on Mantaro to fight alongside Crystal. He'd then executed the dumbest, most dangerous maneuver Crystal had ever seen, doing several barrel rolls and turns midair to avoid the beast Guile had summoned from flicking him into the sea like a gnat. _All of which could have been avoided had he simply gone the other way._ God, he was an idiot, and a reckless one at that, which was such a terrible combination it left Crys wondering how he had even survived this long. 

"You could have died," Crystal says flatly, trying to stop her voice from trembling so damn much. "You were lucky you didn't, but you could've and - has anyone ever told you how completely _irresponsible_ you are?" She takes in a breath, chest shaking, and Gold must have noticed, because he steps ever so closer. "You put both yourself and Emerald in danger - "

"Crys?" She stops then, twisting her fingers around each other. It's a nervous tic, one that she'd thought she'd eliminated along with the leg bouncing, but it's back in full force. 

"I'm sorry," he says, and it at least appears to be a genuine apology. "I was - reckless. And you're right. It was dangerous, so.. I'm sorry for scaring you. I really am. I was just - scared." 

"It's alright," she says eventually. "But - what were you scared of? If you were scared of that thing, then why - ?"

"I wasn't scared of that," he says, quieter than she'd thought possible. "I was scared that after - after four fucking months, we wouldn't be able to save them, and they'd stay statues forever all because we couldn't do it, we couldn't get Jirachi and - " His voice breaks off, and he looks at the ground. Crys can see the pain in his eyes, his fist clenching subconsciously at his side. They've been putting on a brave face for their juniors, but now that it's just the two of them, their masks are starting to crack. 

She lets hers fall too. Her fingers tighten around each other. "Every time I close my eyes, I keep seeing it." She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, forcing her fingers to unravel. "Them as - statues. Completely unresponsive, unable to talk or eat or do anything. Like they were - dead." 

"Yeah," he says softly. "I didn't really believe it for myself until I saw them, no matter what Oak said. But it was - I'm glad they're back. Even Silver."

"I still can't believe it myself," Crys admits. "But - they did it, our juniors, and now - they're alive. We're all alive, and I - I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, for something bad to happen, for someone to die for real this time - you can't keep being so reckless, Gold, what if you hadn't dodged and that thing had hit you and you weren't alive? Do you know how I would _feel_ if you'd died because you were scared of _-_ Gold, we promised we'd save them together, didn't I? If I'd lost you too - " 

Her voice is shaking more than she'd like, but there's a hand on her own, and suddenly she's looking Gold in the eye. 

"We're alive," he says, so seriously it's hard to remember he's Gold, the boy who's spent half his life looking for fun and chaos. "Our juniors are alive because you helped them learn the ultimate moves. Our seniors and Silver are back because of Jirachi. And you and me, we're both alive too." He takes her hand where it lies limply on his, and pulls it up to his chest, resting it there. She can feel his heartbeat, pumping in sync with her own; his hand mirrors the location of her own, and they stand there for a few seconds, feeling the life under their fingertips, until Crystal can finally believe it.

"We're alive," she whispers, feeling the tears of relief running down her cheek as it finally sinks in, and those gold eyes grin back at her. 

"We're alive," he agrees, "and it's all thanks to you, Super Serious Girl."

And then they kiss. It's hard to tell who initiated it, but Crystal finds that she doesn't care, as long as they're there, kissing on the balcony of the Battle Frontier, because God, after all this, the months of waiting and searching frantically and things going wrong, something has gone right, and they are both still alive, hearts still beating as they plant their feet on the ground and inhale the air and feel the sun of a new day. 

Their hands drop away from the others heart; fly instead to the back of his head and her back, and they are simply alive for a few seconds. 

They have to let go eventually, though, as much as Crystal wishes it would never stop. But then he pulls her in again, after brushing her tears away and whispering, "you're still pretty when you cry, but even prettier when you smile," and she laughs, because it's such a Gold thing to say, but doesn't resist and kisses him back. Somehow, it feels even better this time, and the romantic part of Crystal whispers this is how she'd always wished her first kiss to be: under the moonlight, alone with the boy she loved -

 _Alone_ being the key word here. 

She and Gold have been so absorbed with each other, they failed to notice the noise of their fellow Dexholders approaching - at least, not until Red gently coughs. The Hoenn Dexholders have been trailing behind them, and at the sight of their seniors in such an… intimate position, they immediately flinch away. 

"S-sorry seniors!" Ruby yelps as he flees. 

"We didn't see nothin'!" Sapphire adds as she follows, tugging Emerald along. 

They're left alone with their seniors then, and Silver, who looks like he wants to die. 

"I can't believe you guys got together before Red and Yellow!" Green exclaims, clapping her hands together. "They had a head start of two years, and still haven't even held hands - "

"Green, our junior's relationships - and those of our friends - are none of our business," Blue scolds her. "Don't be such a pesky girl."

Red's face has become his namesake, and Yellow isn't faring much better. Crystal and Gold's faces match, if the heat in her cheeks is any indication.

"Well, uh, I'm just going to - go back in," Red stammers, "it's kind of, uh, kind of cold out here."

"M-me too!" Yellow yelps, and Silver follows them into the hotel, looking immensely relieved he has an excuse to leave. Green looks like she's about to say something else, but Blue (thankfully) pulls her away before she can say it. 

"God, I wish they'd just get a room, the sexual tension is killing me," Gold whispers next to her, and she chokes. 

"Gold!" 

He just laughs.

And if they stay out the whole night and wake the next day at 11, almost missing the boat back to Hoenn - well, that's nobody's business but their own, because after it all they're _alive_ and still have so many things to do and people to meet and places to go, and that's all that matters. 

And, Crystal thinks as she runs to the dock, Gold beside her, she wouldn't mind so much if he was by her side. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> a few notes:  
> mantaro kept autocorrecting to kangaroo. not sure why im saying this i just thought it was funny  
> you can't tell me gold and crystal weren't scared and putting on a brave face for the hoenn trio. their seniors and friends were petrified and their only hope is a mythical pokemon thats been captured by a power hungry maniac who subsequently tries to drown the region for the second time in a year. they must have been terrified lol  
> some of the dialogue fits in weird or is rambly, chalk it up to nerves or something... i wanted to show that both gold and crystal care for and attempt to comfort each other, not just a one sided thing like my first drafts were. also i wanted to post on golds birthday sue me  
> ok that's it!! idk how to embed links but my tumblr is indigoplateaus.tumblr.com come scream with me abt pokespe and leave a comment/kudos i crave validation!!


End file.
